EPIC on Wiretap Bill Passage

The passage of the FBI Wiretap Bill in the closing hours of the 103d Congress
demonstrates the need for continued and aggressive advocacy in support of
communications privacy. The legislation, which mandates the re-design of the
nation's telecommunications infrastructure to facilitate government interception,
was enacted with no floor debate and no resolution of the lingering questions
concerning the need for such an unprecedented and far-reaching change in the
law. The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) opposed passage of the
bill and believes that its enactment could establish a dangerous precedent
for the design and development of the National Information Infrastructure.

The grassroots campaign that emerged to oppose the wiretap legislation shows
the potential of the Internet as a means of educating the public and promoting
democratic participation in the policymaking process. In the two-month period
between the introduction of the legislation and its enactment, grassroots
efforts demonstrated that a measure initially touted as a "compromise" bill
was, in fact, a highly controversial proposal. Numerous Congressional offices
admitted to being astounded by the number of calls and faxes they received
in opposition to the legislation as it moved to consideration in both houses.
EPIC believes that the on-line campaign to defeat the wiretap bill can serve
as a model for the Internet community to build upon in the future. We congratulate
the thousands of individuals who participated in the process and wish to express
our appreciation and admiration for the work of the Voters Telecomm Watch
(VTW) in bridging the gap between Washington and activists around the country.
EPIC looks forward to continuing to work VTW, the American Civil Liberties
Union, the Internet Business Association and the many other organizations
that joined us in opposing the FBI Wiretap Bill.

Implementation of the newly enacted legislation must be closely monitored.
EPIC is committed to continuing its efforts to obtain relevant government
data under the Freedom of Information Act, including the aggressive pursuit
of our pending litigation against the FBI for the release of information cited
in support of the wiretap legislation. EPIC also intends to monitor proceedings
in the Federal Communications Commission pursuant to the new law and to participate
in such proceedings to protect the privacy interests of network users. EPIC
will also continue its research and advocacy activities in the areas of encryption
policy, medical records privacy, transactional data privacy, proposed national
identification systems, and other issues now emerging with the advent of the
information superhighway.